Online exploitation could well be happening under the noses of parents
THERE is a strong chance that one or more child or young person in Ireland is being sexually exploited online today.
We probably don’t know the half of what is going on. Whatever does come to light in criminal investigations, or through someone alerting gardaí to an inappropriate posting, may only be the tip of the iceberg.
Gardaí say that there is a lot of under-reporting in this area because children may be reluctant to admit to any online contact that has left them feeling uncomfortable in case a protective parent withdraws their phone. A vulnerable child may not even be aware that they are a victim of a crime.
Consensual “sexting” between teenagers may be within the law, but legislation introduced in Ireland this year criminalises online sexual exploitation of a child or the sending of sexually explicit material to a child.
The law is one thing, but in the digital age, it can be extremely difficult to police such criminal activity. In the old days, a predator was more visible, perhaps lurking around the school gates, but now it is easy to target victims online, by trawling through any of the social media or messaging sites.
A predator will seek to lure a child into a conversation and gain their confidence. If it doesn’t work with one, it is easy to go on to someone else.
Police authorities everywhere are grappling with this digital-age phenomenon. Earlier this year, the EU police agency, Europol, launched a campaign – backed by the Garda – against online sexual coercion and extortion of child. It is digital blackmail – sometimes referred to as “sextortion” – where sexual images are used to extort even more explicit images, sexual favours, or, sometimes, money.
Parents may be wondering how a perpetrator could get their hand on a sexual image of their child, but it could be happening under their own roof or an internet café.
It might be someone their child knows and with whom they have shared a comprising image, followed with a threat they will post it publicly if the child doesn’t produce an even more explicit image, or hand over some money or sexual favour. Or, it could be an online stranger, anywhere in the world, who “befriends” them on social media.
If a young person doesn’t stop it immediately, by the time they realise they are uncomfortable, they may think it too late, fearing they will be punished if they tell their parents.
But, in order to bring prosecution the crime has to come to the attention of the Garda, which proves difficult if a child doesn’t report it.
There was the shocking case of UK teenager Kayleigh Heywood (15), who was raped and murdered in 2015 after being “groomed” online. She started exchanging messages with a man on Facebook two weeks before she was killed, believing he was her boyfriend. Her parents said subsequently that they had seen “no signs” she was being groomed.
All sexual crime in Ireland now comes within the remit of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau.
The Child Online Exploitation Unit operated under its umbrella and within that the Victim Identification Unit. There is a two-track approach to tackling online sexual exploitation: While one team pursues the crime investigation, the Victim Identification Unit focuses on locating and supporting victims.
The suspect may never be identified or caught, but if the victim can be located, that at least ensures the child or young person receives the necessary support. Gardaí see a big value in augmenting their database with images of uniforms and other school-related items that may prove crucial in leading them to a victim.